Save the Grand schedule

Save the Grand Theatre, Inc. series of events in May, all geared toward children and families of Franklin County and the region, continues. Upcoming events, dates and times, include:

Dreamer, May 12, 7:30 p.m. Advance tickets are $5, and $7 at the door.

Alice in Wonderland, May 21, 2 p.m. Advance tickets are two for $5, $3 and $5 at the door.

Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, May 24-29, time to be announced. Tickets will be around $5 each.

Advance tickets are available at Poor Richards Books, Broadway, 223-8018.

Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story, was filmed in part in Frankfort. Dreamer is a heartwarming film about a father and daughter who rebuild their family by nursing an injured horse, Sonador (Dreamer in Spanish), to race in the Breeders Cup.

Ben Crane (Kurt Russell) believes that this severely injured race horse deserves another chance. He and his daughter, Cale (Dakota Fanning), adopt the horse, which is in fact a mare, and save it from being sacrificed by its owner (David Morse). The arrival of the mare to Cranes farm becomes the perfect opportunity for both father and daughter to reconstruct their lost familial bond.

The cast in Dreamer also includes Kris Kristofferson as Pop, the father of Kurt Russell and grandfather of Dakota Fanning. Elizabeth Shue, from Adventures in Babysitting, Leaving Lost Vegas and other films plays Kurt Russells wife, both of whom have become largely estranged from each other through lifes dreary struggles. The joint effort to heal Sonador brings all of the family back together in an incredibly warm film reminiscent of Disney films like Old Yeller and The Yearling.

Dreamer is based on a true story as it tells the tale of Mariahs Storm, a horse that was injured and then later ran in the Breeders Cup Distaff finishing ninth. The Crane family in Dreamer has higher ambition. Although the Classic is generally reserved for stallions, the ambition of Dreamer is to run a race where few fillies have participated. Azeri, another filly and horse of the year, ran fifth against male horses in the Classic. Portions of Dreamer were filmed at Marshalls in Frankfort, which became Marshalls Backstretch Diner as named in the movie.

Alice in Wonderland will be performed in the Grand Theatre for students from Good Shepherd, Second Street, and Capital Day School on May 15. There will also be a public performance at 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 21.

This 45-minute readers theatre version of Alice in Wonderland is an adaptation by Steve Taylor of the Lewis Carroll novel. Mr. Taylor is a playwright and is formerly a resident of Frankfort. Karen Hatter, drama teacher in the Frankfort schools and one of the founders, directors, and actresses of the Pegasus Players, will direct the performance.

We expect 500 people for the three scheduled private showings on May 15, and hope to have a good crowd at the May 21 matinee to join Alice, the Mad Hatter, the March Hare and others for Tea and the Arts at the Grand.

From May 24 through May 29, at times to be announced, Save the Grand Theatre, Inc. will show Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, everybodys non-polutionary, anti-institutionary, pro-confectionary factory of fun.

Fresh from the recognition of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory made in 2005, Willie Wonka tells the same story in its own magical way in this 1971 film that many young parents grew up with and their children equally adore. Most everyone knows the story of the boy who finds a golden ticket in a Willie Wonka chocolate bar and heads off to tour Willie Wonkas factory with his grandfather.

Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory stars Gene Wilder as Willie Wonka, Jack Albertson as Grandpa Joe, and Peter Ostrum as Charlie Bucket. If you want to view paradise, simply look around and view it in Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, one of the worlds favorite childrens films.

In Willie Wonka, Charlie, with only a penny to his name and not enough money to purchase a single chocolate bar, lives within a stones throw of the chocolate factory and dreams about winning the golden ticket. The other golden ticket winners come across as spoiled children who each receive their comeuppance in a hilarious, enjoyable, and serious level eye-opening experience.

This is a film for parents to see whose children are becoming too big for their boots. It is a film that most viewers see as timeless, although we now have two comparable renditions to view over the years and which have great qualities and followings.

Save the Grand Theatre, Inc. will also be showing Crash, the 2005 Academy Award Winner for Best Picture on Friday, May 19 and Saturday May 20, 7:30 p.m.. Tickets are $6 in advance/$7 at the door. This film is rated R.